MANILA - President Benigno Aquino III has assigned Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa to head the transition team that will pave the way for presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte's assumption into office.

In a statement released by Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma, Aquino said he has talked to Duterte's executive assistant, Christopher "Bong" Go, regarding the matter.

"I talked to Mr. Bong Go yesterday to relay to Mayor Duterte that an Administrative Order (AO) is being drafted designating the Executive Secretary as head of the transition team," Aquino said.

"I further offered that the Cabinet stands ready to brief his team on any and all of their concerns. Lastly we are committed to effecting the smoothest transition possible."

Duterte's spokesperson Peter Laviña on Tuesday said the Davao City mayor, who is poised to win the presidential race with a commanding six-million-vote lead over closest rival Mar Roxas, has already begun forming his transition team.

Laviña said the body will be composed of four teams:

- an over-all committee,
- a policy group that would draft his plans in his first 100 days,
- a selection committee that will select his Cabinet, and
- an inauguration committee that will prepare ceremonies for his assumption into office.

Duterte is banking on "goodwill" with Aquino's democracy icon mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, to ensure that the transition will proceed smoothly, Laviña added. - Report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

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